The present invention relates to computerized imaging and, more particularly, to a method and system that allows a user to modify a print job that has been sent from a client node to a printing node for automatic printing.
Most print jobs initiated by a user on a client node are sent to a printing node for automatic printing. Automatic print jobs are printed on the printing node as soon as a scheduled time arrives and without a requirement of further user intervention. If a user discovers after sending an automatic print job (for example, after reviewing the first few pages of the print job that have been output on the printing node) that an improper or suboptimal print setting has been applied, the user must generally return to the client node, modify the problem print setting and resubmit the job. The requirement to return to the client node for corrective action consumes the user's valuable time, while the requirement to resend the job can impose additional delays since the resent job must be rescheduled.
Some printing nodes support a filing feature in which print jobs initiated on a client node are rasterized and filed on a printing node for later printing. Filed print jobs are not printed without further user intervention, but rather must be recalled by the user. Upon recall but before printing, some filing features allow the user to modify a limited number of print settings that do not require the filed job to be re-rasterized, such as pagination, paper size/stock, sheet assembly, tray and finishing options. For example, some filing features present the pages of the filed job as thumbnail images on a user interface of the printing node and allow the user to identify individual pages for printing by selecting among the thumbnail images.
Unfortunately, to utilize the print setting modification functions of filing features, a user must have had the foresight to file the print job in the first place. Normally, a user does not think at the time a print job is sent from the client node that filing will be necessary since he or she usually only learns of a problem print setting after sending the job. Thus, even where a filing feature is supported, the vast majority of print jobs are sent for automatic printing. The utility of filing features has been further limited by a general lack of support for modification of print settings that would require the filed job to be re-rasterized.